Railway block system.



W. G. ROOME.

RAILWAY BLOCK SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. s, 1902.

Patented July 9, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

314mm, F01:

W. G. ROOME.

RAILWAY BLOCK SYSTEM. APPLICATION-FILED MAR. s, 1902.

1,032,345; Patented July 9, 1912.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

b a *a S w E o N} w 83k N [1 L'Q 3. s :Q N S k WITNESSES: n k INVENTORW.'G. ROOMB.

RAILWAY BLOCK SYSTEM.

APPLIGATION'PILBD MAR. s, 1902.

Patented July 9, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR AT ORNEY WITNESSES: aim

Cit

NTTED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

WILLIAM G. ROOME, OF L03 ANGELES. CALIFORNIA. ASSIGNOR T) THE UNIONSVVITGH AND SIGNAL COI/IPANY. OF SXVXSSVALE. PENNSYLVANIA PENNSYLVANIA.

CORPORATION OF RAILNVAY BLOCK SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters atent Patented JnlyS), 1912.

Application filed March 3, 1902.. Serial No. 95536.

To a whom if m I ma 11');

Be it known that l. .VILLIAM G. Rooms. a citizen of the llnitetl States.formerly a resitlent of Jersey City. New Jersey. but now a resitlent ofLos Angeles, California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Railway Block Systems. of which the following is aspecification.

1 will describe several block systems emhotlying' my invention, as wellasseveral parts or pieces of apparatus adapted to he usetl in thesesystems. and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

in the :u-companving drawings, Figures l and 2 are views showing themechanial parts of. a signal operating mechanism. Figs. 31. 1 aml 5 areviews showing a mechanically actuatetl rotary switch which may be usetlin connection with my invention. Figs. (3 ainl Tare views showing asimilar rotary switch hut of an electromagnetically actuatetl tvpe. Fig.8 is a tliagramn'iatic view showi 4: a motor generator or rotarytranstorn cr which may he usetl; in connection with my inventioh. Fig. 9is a view showing; in section a form of controller such as isortlinarily usetl on cars of electric rail-- ways Figs. 10. It and 12are views showing); a relay rlevice which may he usetl in connectionwith my invention. Figs. 13 antl ll are views illustrating tliagrainmatcally portions of a railway having applied thereto two forms of blocksystem emhotlying my invention.

Similar re'terence characters designate similar parts throughout theseveral views.

ltet'erring now to Fig. l, I have here shown in front elevation a signaloperating mechanism eml'io ving my invention. This mechanism mayhe-mountetl upon'a sign 1 pole and connected with a signal asillustratetl in Fig, 2. In Fig. 1 M designates an electric motor whichis operative-1y connect-ed by means of gearing in a usual manner with atlrum (l. I have shown two gear wheels with portions of the teeth 9. Theupper gear wheel is secured to the drum (7. 'ountl upon. the drum (i isa wire rope or chain 7) for moving the semaphore on its pivot in amanner such as is shown in Fig. I 2. To this upper gear wheel alsosecuretl an arm or stutl l carrying: a pin j which latl ter is arrangedto engage with anti move a haihlle It of a rotary switch F hereinafter ldescribed. The pin is in loose euggagcinent with the handle 71 Thesolicl lines iiulicute the positions which the arm J and the haiulle hassume when the semaphore is in 'langer position, and the arrowindicates the tlllttftion in which these parts and the tlllllll r/rotate when the signal is moved to safety position. During thismovement, the tlrum makes a little more than one complete revolution,the arm and hamlle then assuming the positions indicated by the (lashlines. 011 completing one revolution, the pin j strikes the handle I; onthe side opposite to that shown in the solid lines, aml (hiring theremaintler ot' the rotation the pin rotates the hamlle it of the rotaryswitch F. \Vhen the motor tlet nergiZed and the counterweight returnsthe signal to the danger position, the gear wheel d and pin are rotatetlin the reverse direction to that indicated by the arrow. The pin j makesa little more than one complete revolution in this reverse direction.striking the hantltc [L on the other sitle and returning this handlewith the rotary switch F to the position shown in the solitl lines. .1do not tlesire to limit myself to this particular method of operatingthe rotary switch F hy the movement of the signal meclu-iuism, as anymethod may be used by which the switch shall. be shifted just as thesignal. s mapl'iore is completing its movement to one l Or-lIlOll oranother,

Figs. I? anti 4 are sitle antl eml views respectively of a form ofrotary switch which may he used in connection with my invem tion. Thisswitch comprises a hastn at in two upright supports 0, (1. Thesesupports act as hearings in which revolves a block t of insulating"material towhich is securetl the operating hantlle ll. Secured also tothe block (l are small metal bridging contact piccesm which are arrangedto he engaged antl disengaged, by the rotation of the block t withupright contact springs l. which are mounted upon the base 11. Whenthese contact pieces m are mountetl on the hloek t in the arrangementsnown in Fig. l. the shifting ot the hloclt through a quaw tcnrevolutionacts to disconnect one set of contact pieces from the springs on one stlc, tllltl to connect another set with the springs on tle other sitle.The contact pieces m may however be arranged on the block G asillustrated in Fig. 5, in which case a quarter-revolt ion at the block(9. will act to disconnect ht 'contact pieces from the springs on eachsi e at the saine time. This rotary switch is adapted to make a quickbreak, and it may be used to open a circuit in several places at thesame instant. As the block'G is revolved, it is evident that a rubbingcontact is made between the contact pieces m and the springs I. Theblock (it is of square construction, and it may be so proportioned thatat the moment a contact piece m leaves a contact spring I, the corner ofthe block G strikes the spring I and forces itaway from the contactpiece m. This arrangement effects a break in a circuit twice as quicklyas an ordinary switch, since the spring 1 and the contact piece 171 areeach moving away from the other at the time the break occurs. Although Ihave in Fig. 3 shown six contact springs I on each side of the switch.it is to be understood that this number of spri may be varied to suit.the conditions nn lm which the switch to be used. l 1

In F i gs. 6 and 7 I show a method by which a rotary switch such as Ihave just described may be operated by means of a solenoid N. Instead ofthe handle it, a small gear wheel is in this case secured to the shaftof the block (l. and the teeth of this gear wheel mesh with the teeth ofa rack carried by a plunger f of the solenoid N. This plunger t may bheld in its lower or deenergizcd position by means of a weight w securedto its lower end. When the solenoid is energized, the plunger't will beraised, shifting the block G and openin the contact between the contactpieces in and the contact springs I.

In F ig. 8 I have shown diagrammatically a motor generator or rotarytransformer T, such as may be used in connection with my invention forthe purpose of charging storage batteries as hereinafter explained. Amotor generator of this'type is shown and described in Letters PatentNo. (W362i, granted to me on October 1, 1901.. The commutator on oneside is-connected with a primary coil p, and the commutator on the otherside is connected with a secondary coil 8. v

Fig. 9 is a view showing a controller C, such as is used on the cars ofan electric railway. I here show a view of such con troller in orderthat for the sake of brevity and clearness I may refer to it hereafterby the reference character C.

Referring now to Figs. 10, 11, and 12, I have here showiri'espectively afront elevation, side elevation, and a partial plan view of a relaywhich may be used in connection with my invention. This relay is adaptedto control 4 plurality of circuits by themovpment oi its armature, andis particularly adapted to be used in an alter-nab ing current circuit.V designates a core. upon which are wound coils t. This core ispreferably comprised of laminated soft iron stampings, and issubstantially U-shaped shown in Fig. 1.0 to bring its two poles adjacentone another. designates an armature pivoted at to a frame 76 whichsupports the core V; to this armature is secured an armature piece y,also comprised of laminated soft iron stampings and so arranged thatwhen attracted by the poles of the core V it will form a completemagnetic circuit with the core. By means of this arrangement the coilst, 6 act as a choke coil when energized by alternating current and whenthe armature is closed, An economical relay is thus produced; thefarther the armature piece y is drawn away from the poles of the core,the less the choking effect becomes upon the alternating currentin thecoils, and consequently the stronger the pull exerted by the core uponthe armature; but when the armature is closed and only a. small amountof current is required to hold it closed, the choking effect is greatestand the current consumption is therefore reduced to a minimum. By theuse of a laminated core, I provide a relay which will hold strongly whenenergized by alternating cur rent, and whose armature vibrates onlyslightly due to the alternations of the current. A spiral spring kserves to hold the armature open when the coils are dcenergized. Securedto the armature C is a block I of insulating material in which aremounted contact springs W, W, etc, These springs are composed. of anumber oi? thin strips laid together to provide fiexibilit y and topermit of good electrical. connections when there is a slight vibrationof the armature due to the use of alternating current in the coils. Whenthe armature is closed, spring W makes electrical contact with twocontact blocks '5 and i, which contact blocks are electrically connectedwith binding posts it and M respectively. The surfaces of these contactblocks are slanted so that. when they are engaged by contact spring \V,a rubbing contact will be made. Contact. spring W is adapted to makecontact with two similar contact blocks 2" and i which latter arelikewise connectedwith binding posts a and 14 IV and V. are each a halfcontact spring making contact respectively with two blocks 1? and iThese two contact springs are shown as being connected electrically bymeans of a wire 77, but obviously the wire may be dispensed with by iforming the springs'of one piece bent into the proper. shape. Contactblocks i and 2' are electri' (rally connected respectively with bindingposts H2 and it.

One feature of my invention is the provi' sion, in a railway blocksystem, of a safety or intermediate block section behind a car. i safetyblock section is automatically hep: guarded behind a car, no car beingpet rallied to ent'cr it even though the safety block section itself maynot be occupied by a car and may not he deranged. I provide this safetyblock section by means of a nov l. control of thesignal circuits and ofthe circuits for the current used for the propulsion of the cars alongthe railway. That is, i so arrange this safety block section that if itis entered upon by a car, passing a danger signal at the entrance of thesafety block, the propulsion current. will be cut oil from the car. Ialso provide for this safety block section a signal. preferably asemaphore or other visual signaling device, which shall denote to themotorman of an approaching car, whether or not the propulsion currentcircuit for the block section is open or closed; that is. whether or notthe propulsion current will be cut off from the car when it shall enterthe block section.

Referring to Fig. 13,1 have here shown an application of my sa ety orintermediate block section toa. railway system in which electricity isused as the propulsion power for the cars or trains. I) designates agenorator which furnishes current for propelling the cars. H is acontinuous feed rail, and H is a sectional feed rail divided into blocksections corresponding with block sections (1.11. etc. of the rails ofthe railway. The continuous feed rail H is shown as being connecteddirectlywith one terminal of the generator I) by a wire 2, and the sections of the divided rail H are shown as being connected with the otherterminal of the gt'snerator through rotary switches F, F, etc. Theserotary switches may be of a type such as l have shown in Figs. 3; 4 and5 of the accompanying drawings and described here-inhefore. Each blocksection (1, (1 etc, of the track rails of the railway is provided with atrack battery 3 B, etc. and with a relay R. R, etc. These relays may beof a. type such as I have shown in Figs. 10, 11. and 12 of theaccompanying drawings. Each of these relays controls a circuit in whichis included a motor device Fi 5 etc... which is used for operating therotary switch l l5", etc. of the preceding block section. These motordevices may be signal operating mechanisms of a type such as I haveshown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, or they nay be solenoidoperated mechanisms of a type such as I hive shown in t3 and T. in thecase of a signal operating mechanism being used. the semaphore blade maybe omitted. or it may be employed. as shown in Fig. 2. in which case itforms an additional visual signal. The

ircuit tor the motor device ti may be traced as follows-from battery 13through wiref 18, motor device 5, wire 17, armature of relay R, wire 16to battery B. The cir- CUItS for motor devices S and may he traced insimilar manners. For each block section I provide a signal h hi. etc.and in this view I show these signals as being;- controlled directly bythe ear propulsion curt L l '5. rent from the generator l '3 no circuittor slgnal S is as follows: trom generator I.) througlrwires l and 8switch 1 wire it. sectional feed rail H, wire 10, signal S, wire 11.continuous feed ran it. wire to generator D. The signal S is shown asconnected with the feed rails H and H ot block section a by wires and23. These sicnals S etc.. may be of the tr ')e shown.

in Figs. 1 and of the accompanying tlrawings and described hereinhefore.IE designates a car or train carrying shoes or brushes K and K whichmake sliding contact with the feed rails H and H respec. tively. M is amotor for moving the car or train, and C is a controller which may be ofa type such I have shown in Fig. 9 of the accompanying drawings. Thecircuit for the propulsion current. for car if may be traced as follows:from generator I) through wires l. and 8. contacts of'rotary Switch F.wire 4. feed rail H, shoe K. wire controller C. wire (l, motor M, wire7,

shoe K, feed rail ll, wire 2 to generator I). A signal lamp L carried bythe car E is connected between vii-es 5 and 7 so that it. is always incircuit with the feed rails H and H irrespective of the control of themotor circuit by the controller C. The switches F. F. etc are soconnected with the motor devices 9', S. etc, respectively that whenthese motor devices are insthe clear positiointhat is, when th blocksections by which they are contr lled are unoccupied, by cars or trainsthe contacts of the switches will be closed and the propulsion circuittherefore closed to the sectional feed rail ll of the preceding blocksection.

The tu'ieration of this system may now-be described as follows: Asindicated in the drawing, the hloch'seclions a and of are clar. hencesignals S and S" are in their clear positions and the car i) may enterblock section a. Should there be a car or train on block section, (L2,the shunting of the relay R would open the circuit for the motor devicewhich would operate rotary switch l to open its contacts. The opening ofswitch F would cut oil current from the seclirmal feed rail H ofl)l()(:l section (1. and this would more signal S to its dangerposition. The fact that signal S is in danger position would then denoteto the motorman of a car E in blocl; section (I that the se(: tionalrail ll of block section a is disconouted from the source otpl'npttlE-loil current. Should the car '13 now move past signal S andinto block section (1 its open &

reaching the car or train in block section a The batteries used in thissystem may be storage batteries, and charging circuits and apparatus forthese batteries may be provided as indicated in the drawing. Forexample, the trackbatteries may be charged by the use of rotarytransformersas indicated at T for track battery B, the priinary winding2 and field f of this trans former being connected. across the 'propuLsion current, circuit from wire 1 to the feed rail H. A switch 100 maybe included in this primary circuit to control the operation of therotary transformer. A similar transformer T may be used as indicated forcharging the batteries used for the operation of ,the motor devices S 'Setc. with a,

switch 101 for controlling the supply of power to this transformerfThese rotary transformers may be oi a. type such as is shown in Fig. 8of the accompanying drawings.

ig. 14 shows an application of a signal-- ing system embodying my safetyor; intermediate block section to an ordinary elec tric railway using'atrolley or a third rail. H. is a trolley or third rail which is dividedto form block sections a, a, (2?, etc., the track rails beingcontinuous. It is understood that cars are "moving in the directionindicated by arrow 105. D designates agen erato; from one terminal ofwhich extends a main feu wire 1. The other terminal of the generator Dis connected with the track in the usual iL-snner by a wire 2. The mainfeed wire 1. is connected with the third rail H ofeach block sectionthrough the windin gs of solenoids N, N,etc., and through contacts ofrotary switches F F", etc. For

example, the connection between the main fecd wire land the third rail Hof block section a isthrough wire 14-, winding of solenoid N, wlre 15,contacts of rotary switch F wire 16 to third rail H. The

third rail of each block section is connected with the main feed wire 1in a similar manner. Each of the solenoids N, N, N and N is used tooperate a. rotary switch F, F, F and F in'the manner shown in Figs. 6and 7 of the accompanying drawings, and each of these rotary switchescontrols the circuit of a signal S S S and S. The circuit for signal Sisfrom generator I) through main feed wire 1, wire 38, contacts ofrotary switch .F, wire 39, signal S, wire to, rails of the trackway,wire 2 to generator 1). The circuits for each of the signals S,..S and Smay be traced in a similar manner. These signals S, S", S. and S are tooperate respectively rotary switches F, F, F and F asillustrated in Fig.1 of the accompanying drawings. Thesemaphores of these signals areunnecessary, but they may, however, be' used if desired, as signals toindirails through the third rail H, contacts of two of the rotaryswitches as F, F, F, F,

etc., and a resistance as Q, Q; etc. For ex am lo, the circuit forsignal S may be traced as ollows: from generator D through main feedwire 1., wire 14, solenoid N, wire 15, contacts of rotary switch F wire16, third rail- H of block section'a, wire 17, signal S, wire 18,contacts of rotary switch F, re-

sistance Q, rails of the trackway, wire 2 to generator D. The circuitfor each of the signals S, S and S may be traced in a similar manner.The resistance Q, Q, etc., may be dispensed with if desired by sowinding the coils of the motors or solenoids used to operate these lastmentioned signals as to include the equivalent of the resistances Q.

Q, etc., in the windings. Each of the rotary switches F, F, F and F isadapted to control two circuits the main feed circuit connection to thethird railor trolley-H of the block section in the rear, and the circuitfor the signal for its own block section. Thus rotary switch F controlsthe main feed'cir cuit to the third rail of block section a, and

also the circuit for signal S of block section car E shown in blocksection a, signal S is i at danger position, and the block section a isthe safety or ihtermediate block section protecting the rear 'of car E.Although there is no car in block section a, the inter locking of--thecircuits holds signal S in danger position while the car E remains inblock section a in advance. Signal S is also at danger, making a seconddanger sig nal which must be passed before reaching the'car E. Signal Sbeing in safety position indicates that there is no car in either blocksection a or a; and signal S being in safety position similarlyindicates that there. is nocar in block section a or in thenext'succeeding block section in advance (not shown). The cores ofsolenoids N, N, N and N are each provided with a weight so adjusted thatwhen the current for these solenoids passes through respectively theresistances Q. Q, and Q it. will-not he of sutiicientstrength to lift:the cores, ant the rotur tq switches will therefore be normally closed.When however, one of these resistances is shunted, by the motors andsignal lamps of a train in the block section, the current through thesolenoid be comes of sutticicnt strength to operate the core and openthe rotary switch.

The operation of this system may now be explained as follows: When a carE enters a block section, for example block section a the currentpassing through two signal lamps L. L, on the ca in addition to thatpassing through the resistance Q. is sufficient to cause the core of thesolenoid N to be lifted, thus opening rotary switch F. The path of thecurrent through the car is tiwm generator I) through main feed wire 1,wire 3, solenoid N, wire 4, rotary switch F, wire 5, third rail ortrolley H, shoe K, wire (5, controller C, yhotor M (also through lampsL, L in multiple with the. controller and motor) wire 7, axle and wheelsA, rails of trackwayg wire 2, to generator D. The opening of thecontacts of rotary switch F opens the circuit for signal S which lattermoves to danger position and in doing so, opens the contacts of rotaryswitch F The opening of rotary switch F breaks the circuit for signal C.which therefore moves to its danger position. I mayadd that it is notnecessary to depend upon the brealc ing of the circuit for signal S byrotary switch F to more the signal to danger position, since the circuitfor this signal may he so adjusted, if desired, that the circuit throughthe motor and lamps of car E will shunt. sufiicieit current from thesignal to cause the signal to more to danger position. The opening ofthe circuit by the rotary switch holds this signal in the dangerposition, hmvever, longas block section a is occupied.

Tim-foregoing remarks regarding adjustment of the circuit for signal Sapply equally well to the circuits for signals S, S and S". The openingof the contacts of roiuiv switch F also opens the feed circuit from themain feed wire 1 to the third rail or trolley -Ll of block section a inthe rear of the lJltlt'h .\(\il( ll occupied by the car E. The openingof this feed circuit opens the circuit for si mal r of block section a,which signal there. r moves to danger position. The fact that signal Sis in danger position indicates to tho motorman of a car approachingblock section (I. that the sectional l'ccd rail ll of that. blocksection is disconnected from the source of propulsion current, and thattherefore if the car aga enter that block section its propulsion currentwould he cut off.

It will be noted that in the railway signaling systems I have justdescribed, the signal lampsv L on a. car or train denote, if burning,that the block section ahead is clear; but if extinguished they denotethat the block sec tion ahead is occupied. If, for example, with a carin block a another car were to pass the danger signal of the blocksection in the rear and enter the safety or inter-- mediate block (1,its signal lamp would be extinguished and its operating power shut off.The motorman of the car in block a would become aware of car E passingout of block a by the lighting of his signal lamp and he could thenproceed in safety to the signal governing block a.

The signaling systems which I have just described are of the type knownas normal safety systems. That is, when the blocks are unoccupied bycars and the circuits are in proper working condition, all signals willbe held in the safety position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a railwaysignaling system the com bination of a plurality of block sections, a t'ack circuit for each block section comprising a source of current and arelay, a signal for each block section, a local circuit for each of saidsignals controlled by the relay of the corresponding track circuit, agenerator, feeding and return conductors extending therefrom, a supplyconductor extending along the railway and divided into sectionscorresponding to the block sections, a circuit controller between eachsection of the supply conductor and the feeding conductor and operatedby the signal for the block section in advance.

2. in a railway signaling system the combination of a plurality of blocksections, a track circuit for each block section compris' ing a sourceof current and a relay, a signal for each block section, a local circuitfor each of said signals controlled by the relay of the correspondingtrack circuit, a genera-- tor, feeding and return conductors extendingtherefrom, a supply conductor extending along the railway and dividedinto tions corresponding to the block sections. a circuit controllerbetween each section of the supply conductor and the feeding conductorand operated by the signal for the block section in advance, and asecond signal for each block section having a part of its controllingcircuit the section of the supply conductor for the corresponding blocksection.

3. In a railway signaling system, the comeach signal controlled by therelay of the corresponding track circuit, a source of pro pulsioncurrent, a third rail or trolley extendinq along the railway and dividedinto sections corresponding to the block sections, and a circuitcontroller between the source of propulsion current and each section ofthe third rail or trolley and operated by the signal for the blocksection next in advance.

4. In a railway signaling system, the combination of a plurality ofblock sections, a track circuit for each block section comprising asource of current and a relay, a signal for each block sectiorna localcircuit for each signal controlled by the relay of the correspondingtrack circuit, a source of propulsion current, feeding and returnconductors extending therefrom along the railway, a third rail ortrolley extending along the railway and divided into sectionscorresponding to the block sections, a circuit controller between thefeeding conductor and each section of the third. rail or trolley andoperated by the signal for the next block section in advance, and asignal device for each block section connected between the section ofthe third rail or trolley for that (Ionics of this patent 'may beobtained for block section and the said return conductor for thepropulsion current. i In a railway signaling system, a plurality ofblock sections, home and distant signals for the block sections, a trackcircuit for each block section each for the control of the home signalfor the corresponding block section, a source of propulsion current, athird rail or trolley extending along the railway and divided intoinsulated sections corresponding to the block sections, a circuitcontroller between the source of propulsion current and each section ofthe third rail or trolley and controlled by the track circuit of thenext succeeding block section, and a circuit for the control of eachdistant signal including the section of the third rail or trolley forthe block section preceding the block section whose condition isindicated by such distant signal. I

Signed at Jersey City in the county of Hudson and State of New Jerseythis first day of March A. 11-1902.

WILLIAM G. ROOME. Witnesses:

D. G. GRANT, A. C. GREENE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01' Patents, Washington,I G. a

